Electronic program guides (EPGs) are used to display information about television programs. An EPG is used to list current and scheduled television programs. EPGs may also include a short summary or commentary for each program.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional EPG user interface for displaying EPG data. Conventional EPGs typically have an array or grid displayed on two different axes. As shown in FIG. 1, the horizontal axis is the time axis and the vertical axis is a channel axis for displaying the title of programs offered at specific times on the channels. Interactive EPGs also permit a user to select a title to access other functions, such as obtaining additional program information, changing the channel to the program, or setting up a recording session to the program.
Conventional EPGs have several limitations. First, as the number of television channels increases, a conventional EPG becomes slow and awkward for television viewers to navigate, since they must scroll through a large number of television channels. Second, the advent of digital video recorders (DVRs), also known as personal video recorders (PVRs), permits users to store a large number of recorded programs. Thus, users increasingly need to navigate back and forth between an EPG for current and scheduled programs and a menu of stored video files.
Moreover, television viewers face navigation challenges associated with the user interface. Users commonly view television from ten feet or more away from the screen and navigate the EPG with a handheld remote control. There is only so much information that can be comfortably viewed at a distance from a television screen. Images that are too small for distance viewing may create an unpleasant user experience. Therefore, what is desired is a user interface with improved navigation functionality for EPG data and PVR data.